Pool circulation system

Abstract

A pool circulation system has a water intake device that is attached to an intake port with an intake hose. The water intake device includes an intake housing that defines an inner chamber; a plurality of apertures; an outer screen that fits over the intake housing to cover the plurality of apertures; and a hose attachment fitting for attaching the intake hose. A deadweight anchor is attached to the water intake device for holding the water intake device on the bottom of the swimming pool.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A pool circulation system for circulating water from a bottom of a swimming pool, the pool circulation system comprising:
 a water intake device comprising:
 an intake housing that defines an inner chamber; 
 a plurality of apertures through the intake housing that allow the water to flow into the inner chamber of the intake housing; 
 an outer screen that fits over the intake housing to cover the plurality of apertures; and 
 a hose attachment fitting attached to the intake housing for drawing the water from the inner chamber of the intake housing; 
 
 a deadweight anchor attached to the water intake device for holding the water intake device on the bottom of the swimming pool, the deadweight anchor having a scuff-resistant fabric or rubberized outer covering; 
 an intake hose that attaches the hose attachment fitting to an intake port of the swimming pool; and 
 a pump and a filter operably installed to draw the water from the intake port, pass it through the filter, and return the water to a return port of the swimming pool. 
 
     
     
       2. The pool circulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the deadweight anchor includes a pair of anchors that each include the scuff-resistant fabric or rubberized outer covering, and each of the pair of anchors further comprising an attachment band shaped to encircle the water intake device for attaching each of the pair of anchors to the water intake device. 
     
     
       3. The pool circulation system of  claim 2 , wherein one of the pair of deadweight anchors is attached to a proximal end of the intake housing, and the other of the pair of deadweight anchors is attached to a distal end of the intake housing. 
     
     
       4. The pool circulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the intake housing includes a tubular portion that includes a proximal end and a distal end and the plurality of apertures, and wherein the intake housing further includes a top cap and an end cap. 
     
     
       5. The pool circulation system of  claim 4 , wherein the top cap is mounted on the proximal end of the tubular portion of the intake housing and the end cap is mounted on the distal end of the tubular portion so that the top cap, the end cap, and the tubular portion together define the inner chamber. 
     
     
       6. The pool circulation system of  claim 5 , wherein the outer screen is positioned over the tubular portion of the intake housing and between the top cap and end cap. 
     
     
       7. The pool circulation system of  claim 6 , wherein the hose attachment fitting is operably mounted on the top cap. 
     
     
       8. A method for circulating water from the bottom of a swimming pool having an intake port and a pump and a filter for pumping the water from the intake port through a filter and to a return port, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a water intake device comprising:
 an intake housing that defines an inner chamber; 
 a plurality of apertures through the intake housing that allow the water to flow into the inner chamber of the intake housing; 
 an outer screen that fits over the intake housing to cover the plurality of apertures; 
 a hose attachment fitting attached to the intake housing for drawing the water from the inner chamber of the intake housing; and 
 a deadweight anchor having a scuff-resistant fabric or rubberized outer covering; 
 
 attaching the deadweight anchor to the water intake device; 
 connecting the hose attachment fitting to the intake port of the swimming pool with a hose; 
 dropping the water intake device into the swimming pool so that the deadweight anchor sinks to the bottom of the swimming pool and the water intake device is held proximate the bottom of the swimming pool by the deadweight anchor, while the fabric or rubberized covering of the deadweight anchor prevents scratching of the bottom of the swimming pool; 
 pumping so that the water from the bottom of the swimming pool is drawn into the water intake device, into the intake port, where it passes through the filter and out through the return port and back into the swimming pool.